Courtesy photo
The Pinto Fire, 15 miles southeast of Eureka, was fully contained July 25 after burning 1,912 acres of pinyon-juniper, brush and grasses. Smoke from this fire joined others in the area covered Lincoln County this week.
Smoke that has covered most of Lincoln County for the past 10 days was primarily from the Sand Fire in California, as well as mixed with smoke from fires near Eureka, Austin and even western Utah.
The Sand Fire, west of Palmdale, as of July 26 was approximately 37,473 acres in size and 25 percent contained. Some 3,048 firefighters are engaged on the fire with 335 engines, 58 hand crews, 26 helicopters and 18 water tenders.
Lincoln County Fire Protection District Chief Rick Stever said the other fires contributing to the smoke over the county, depending on the way the wind is blowing, include the Pinto Fire 15 miles southeast of Eureka, which was 100 percent contained as of July 25, having burned 1,912 acres of short grass, brush and timber and involving 69 firefighters.
Another was the Little Den Fire in the Middlegate area, about 45 miles southwest of Austin. That was fully contained on July 26, covering 3,512 acres in Pinyon-Juniper with grass and sage brush. About 82 personnel were involved there and crews will continue to do mop up work.
Also, the Lower Ebbs Fire, about 35 miles southwest of Scipio, Utah in the Fishlake National Forest, as of July 26 had grown to 5,068 acres involving about 320 personnel.
Stever said Lincoln County has been fortunate so far to not have any fires reported, and “because of the extremely hot and dry conditions we have had some extra fire crews roaming around in the county. We have two National Forest Service engines at the ready for the last couple of weeks.” Still he admitted, “It is nervous time, but we are prepared.”
